How do DB seat numbers work?
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When travelling on German DB trains with a seat reservation, you usually get a car number and a seat number. Seat numbers are integers unique within each car.
Typically, these seat numbers are distributed in a somewhat sequential manner from one end of the car to the other. However, I am saying somewhat because it has happened more than once to me that I missed a given seat at first. Within each row or pair of rows, seat numbers seem to be distributed according to a pattern that I do not quite understand yet.
To illustrate this, here is a partial screenshot of the seating scheme from an IC car that can be accessed while booking a train ticket on bahn.de:
When looking at seat numbers in such a schematic view, it looks like seats are always numbered in groups of eight (i.e. across two adjacent rows), adhering to the following schema:
5 6
7 4
3 8
1 2
Now, when standing in the aisle in the middle of seats, that schema does not become quite as apparent (thus leading to some confusion when searching for one's seat, especially when subject to limited mobility due to luggage, children, or other passengers in the aisle). Is there anything to avoid about numbers ending in 9 or 0 so they do not appear based upon this schema? And anyway, I wonder whether there is any system behind distributing the numbers within such a block of eight seats.
What is the reason or benefit behind this way of numbering seats?
EDIT: While there seem to be a couple of numbering schemes, my impression is that at least "normal" IC and ICE trains feature the numbering as described above. Thus, I would like to exclude any additional numbering schemes from yet other train types from the focus of this question, although other special cases that I did not cover here and that do appear on IC or ICE trains (e.g. unaligned tables, maybe) are still within scope of the question.
trains germany deutsche-bahn
asked Sep 4 '17 at 20:46
O. R. Mapper
1,131922
add a comment |
up vote
11
down vote
favorite
When travelling on German DB trains with a seat reservation, you usually get a car number and a seat number. Seat numbers are integers unique within each car.
Typically, these seat numbers are distributed in a somewhat sequential manner from one end of the car to the other. However, I am saying somewhat because it has happened more than once to me that I missed a given seat at first. Within each row or pair of rows, seat numbers seem to be distributed according to a pattern that I do not quite understand yet.
To illustrate this, here is a partial screenshot of the seating scheme from an IC car that can be accessed while booking a train ticket on bahn.de:
When looking at seat numbers in such a schematic view, it looks like seats are always numbered in groups of eight (i.e. across two adjacent rows), adhering to the following schema:
5 6
7 4
3 8
1 2
Now, when standing in the aisle in the middle of seats, that schema does not become quite as apparent (thus leading to some confusion when searching for one's seat, especially when subject to limited mobility due to luggage, children, or other passengers in the aisle). Is there anything to avoid about numbers ending in 9 or 0 so they do not appear based upon this schema? And anyway, I wonder whether there is any system behind distributing the numbers within such a block of eight seats.
What is the reason or benefit behind this way of numbering seats?
EDIT: While there seem to be a couple of numbering schemes, my impression is that at least "normal" IC and ICE trains feature the numbering as described above. Thus, I would like to exclude any additional numbering schemes from yet other train types from the focus of this question, although other special cases that I did not cover here and that do appear on IC or ICE trains (e.g. unaligned tables, maybe) are still within scope of the question.
trains germany deutsche-bahn
asked Sep 4 '17 at 20:46
O. R. Mapper
1,131922
In general (but also here, there seem to be exceptions), only wagons used in IC or EC trains have seats ending with 7 and 8 on opposite sides of the aisle. In ICE trains seats with numbers ending with 7 and 8 are usually on the same side of the aisle. If you are interested, you can find a relatively up to date document with schematics of all different kinds of passenger wagons used by DB here: kursbuch.bahn.de/hafas-res/img/kbview/ContentPDFs/…
– Tor-Einar Jarnbjo
Sep 4 '17 at 22:41
add a comment |
up vote
11
down vote
favorite
up vote
11
down vote
favorite
When travelling on German DB trains with a seat reservation, you usually get a car number and a seat number. Seat numbers are integers unique within each car.
Typically, these seat numbers are distributed in a somewhat sequential manner from one end of the car to the other. However, I am saying somewhat because it has happened more than once to me that I missed a given seat at first. Within each row or pair of rows, seat numbers seem to be distributed according to a pattern that I do not quite understand yet.
To illustrate this, here is a partial screenshot of the seating scheme from an IC car that can be accessed while booking a train ticket on bahn.de:
When looking at seat numbers in such a schematic view, it looks like seats are always numbered in groups of eight (i.e. across two adjacent rows), adhering to the following schema:
5 6
7 4
3 8
1 2
Now, when standing in the aisle in the middle of seats, that schema does not become quite as apparent (thus leading to some confusion when searching for one's seat, especially when subject to limited mobility due to luggage, children, or other passengers in the aisle). Is there anything to avoid about numbers ending in 9 or 0 so they do not appear based upon this schema? And anyway, I wonder whether there is any system behind distributing the numbers within such a block of eight seats.
What is the reason or benefit behind this way of numbering seats?
EDIT: While there seem to be a couple of numbering schemes, my impression is that at least "normal" IC and ICE trains feature the numbering as described above. Thus, I would like to exclude any additional numbering schemes from yet other train types from the focus of this question, although other special cases that I did not cover here and that do appear on IC or ICE trains (e.g. unaligned tables, maybe) are still within scope of the question.
trains germany deutsche-bahn
asked Sep 4 '17 at 20:46
O. R. Mapper
1,131922
When travelling on German DB trains with a seat reservation, you usually get a car number and a seat number. Seat numbers are integers unique within each car.
Typically, these seat numbers are distributed in a somewhat sequential manner from one end of the car to the other. However, I am saying somewhat because it has happened more than once to me that I missed a given seat at first. Within each row or pair of rows, seat numbers seem to be distributed according to a pattern that I do not quite understand yet.
To illustrate this, here is a partial screenshot of the seating scheme from an IC car that can be accessed while booking a train ticket on bahn.de:
When looking at seat numbers in such a schematic view, it looks like seats are always numbered in groups of eight (i.e. across two adjacent rows), adhering to the following schema:
5 6
7 4
3 8
1 2
Now, when standing in the aisle in the middle of seats, that schema does not become quite as apparent (thus leading to some confusion when searching for one's seat, especially when subject to limited mobility due to luggage, children, or other passengers in the aisle). Is there anything to avoid about numbers ending in 9 or 0 so they do not appear based upon this schema? And anyway, I wonder whether there is any system behind distributing the numbers within such a block of eight seats.
What is the reason or benefit behind this way of numbering seats?
EDIT: While there seem to be a couple of numbering schemes, my impression is that at least "normal" IC and ICE trains feature the numbering as described above. Thus, I would like to exclude any additional numbering schemes from yet other train types from the focus of this question, although other special cases that I did not cover here and that do appear on IC or ICE trains (e.g. unaligned tables, maybe) are still within scope of the question.
trains germany deutsche-bahn
trains germany deutsche-bahn
asked Sep 4 '17 at 20:46
O. R. Mapper
1,131922
asked Sep 4 '17 at 20:46
O. R. Mapper
1,131922
edited Sep 4 '17 at 22:16
asked Sep 4 '17 at 20:46
O. R. Mapper
1,131922
asked Sep 4 '17 at 20:46
O. R. Mapper
1,131922
asked Sep 4 '17 at 20:46
O. R. Mapper
1,131922
1,131922
In general (but also here, there seem to be exceptions), only wagons used in IC or EC trains have seats ending with 7 and 8 on opposite sides of the aisle. In ICE trains seats with numbers ending with 7 and 8 are usually on the same side of the aisle. If you are interested, you can find a relatively up to date document with schematics of all different kinds of passenger wagons used by DB here: kursbuch.bahn.de/hafas-res/img/kbview/ContentPDFs/…
– Tor-Einar Jarnbjo
Sep 4 '17 at 22:41
add a comment |
In general (but also here, there seem to be exceptions), only wagons used in IC or EC trains have seats ending with 7 and 8 on opposite sides of the aisle. In ICE trains seats with numbers ending with 7 and 8 are usually on the same side of the aisle. If you are interested, you can find a relatively up to date document with schematics of all different kinds of passenger wagons used by DB here: kursbuch.bahn.de/hafas-res/img/kbview/ContentPDFs/…
– Tor-Einar Jarnbjo
Sep 4 '17 at 22:41
In general (but also here, there seem to be exceptions), only wagons used in IC or EC trains have seats ending with 7 and 8 on opposite sides of the aisle. In ICE trains seats with numbers ending with 7 and 8 are usually on the same side of the aisle. If you are interested, you can find a relatively up to date document with schematics of all different kinds of passenger wagons used by DB here: kursbuch.bahn.de/hafas-res/img/kbview/ContentPDFs/…
– Tor-Einar Jarnbjo
Sep 4 '17 at 22:41
In general (but also here, there seem to be exceptions), only wagons used in IC or EC trains have seats ending with 7 and 8 on opposite sides of the aisle. In ICE trains seats with numbers ending with 7 and 8 are usually on the same side of the aisle. If you are interested, you can find a relatively up to date document with schematics of all different kinds of passenger wagons used by DB here: kursbuch.bahn.de/hafas-res/img/kbview/ContentPDFs/…
– Tor-Einar Jarnbjo
Sep 4 '17 at 22:41
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
up vote
11
down vote
The numbering scheme is based on historical international standards. Those were originally developed for compartment coaches, which is why always two rows are considered together (one compartment had two rows of opposing seats). The numbers aren’t consecutive because the first digit is the “compartment number”, independent of the place number in each compartment (last digit).
When the system was conceived, compartments usually had six seats. It was defined that seats 5 and 6 are at the window; in order to keep that consistent for eight-seat “compartments”, the additional seats 7 and 8 had to be inserted in the middle.
answered Sep 4 '17 at 21:38
chirlu
93011016
"the additional seats 7 and 8 had to be inserted in the middle" - but then, why diagonally rather than as an additional7 8column? Also, do you happen to have any source/reference for this explanation?
– O. R. Mapper
Sep 4 '17 at 21:55
1
This answer seem to explain only half of the problem raised. Some DB open coach cars don't add the seats 7 and 8 on different sides of the aisle, and use the ordering 5, 6, 7, 8 / 3, 4, 1, 2 instead of 5, 6, 7, 4 / 3, 8, 1, 2 as used in the example in question. If there are groups of four facing seats (mostly around a table), these also have a common first digit in the seat number. If the tables are not aligned on each side of the aisle, this can lead to rows of seats with a different first digit on each side of the aisle.
– Tor-Einar Jarnbjo
Sep 4 '17 at 22:00
Some trains also use a completely different numbering scheme. The open coach cars in the CNL trains used an odd last digit for window seats and an even last digit for aisle seats, so seats with a number ending with 6 were not window seats.
– Tor-Einar Jarnbjo
Sep 4 '17 at 22:12
2
And to mention yet another odd deviation: In the ICE3 train sets, the 2nd class open coach section of wagon 26 uses a different numbering scheme than wagons 21-24. With the Germans having a fable for order, I am not sure that this is just a coincidence or if not some kind of meaning is encoded into the numbering scheme.
– Tor-Einar Jarnbjo
Sep 4 '17 at 22:18
2
I've posted this question to DB on Twitter. Their short reply seems to confirm this answer: It relates to the numbering on old compartments.
– simbabque
Sep 7 '17 at 9:09
|
show 1 more comment
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
11
down vote
The numbering scheme is based on historical international standards. Those were originally developed for compartment coaches, which is why always two rows are considered together (one compartment had two rows of opposing seats). The numbers aren’t consecutive because the first digit is the “compartment number”, independent of the place number in each compartment (last digit).
When the system was conceived, compartments usually had six seats. It was defined that seats 5 and 6 are at the window; in order to keep that consistent for eight-seat “compartments”, the additional seats 7 and 8 had to be inserted in the middle.
answered Sep 4 '17 at 21:38
chirlu
93011016
"the additional seats 7 and 8 had to be inserted in the middle" - but then, why diagonally rather than as an additional7 8column? Also, do you happen to have any source/reference for this explanation?
– O. R. Mapper
Sep 4 '17 at 21:55
1
This answer seem to explain only half of the problem raised. Some DB open coach cars don't add the seats 7 and 8 on different sides of the aisle, and use the ordering 5, 6, 7, 8 / 3, 4, 1, 2 instead of 5, 6, 7, 4 / 3, 8, 1, 2 as used in the example in question. If there are groups of four facing seats (mostly around a table), these also have a common first digit in the seat number. If the tables are not aligned on each side of the aisle, this can lead to rows of seats with a different first digit on each side of the aisle.
– Tor-Einar Jarnbjo
Sep 4 '17 at 22:00
Some trains also use a completely different numbering scheme. The open coach cars in the CNL trains used an odd last digit for window seats and an even last digit for aisle seats, so seats with a number ending with 6 were not window seats.
– Tor-Einar Jarnbjo
Sep 4 '17 at 22:12
2
And to mention yet another odd deviation: In the ICE3 train sets, the 2nd class open coach section of wagon 26 uses a different numbering scheme than wagons 21-24. With the Germans having a fable for order, I am not sure that this is just a coincidence or if not some kind of meaning is encoded into the numbering scheme.
– Tor-Einar Jarnbjo
Sep 4 '17 at 22:18
2
I've posted this question to DB on Twitter. Their short reply seems to confirm this answer: It relates to the numbering on old compartments.
– simbabque
Sep 7 '17 at 9:09
|
show 1 more comment
up vote
11
down vote
The numbering scheme is based on historical international standards. Those were originally developed for compartment coaches, which is why always two rows are considered together (one compartment had two rows of opposing seats). The numbers aren’t consecutive because the first digit is the “compartment number”, independent of the place number in each compartment (last digit).
When the system was conceived, compartments usually had six seats. It was defined that seats 5 and 6 are at the window; in order to keep that consistent for eight-seat “compartments”, the additional seats 7 and 8 had to be inserted in the middle.
answered Sep 4 '17 at 21:38
chirlu
93011016
"the additional seats 7 and 8 had to be inserted in the middle" - but then, why diagonally rather than as an additional7 8column? Also, do you happen to have any source/reference for this explanation?
– O. R. Mapper
Sep 4 '17 at 21:55
1
This answer seem to explain only half of the problem raised. Some DB open coach cars don't add the seats 7 and 8 on different sides of the aisle, and use the ordering 5, 6, 7, 8 / 3, 4, 1, 2 instead of 5, 6, 7, 4 / 3, 8, 1, 2 as used in the example in question. If there are groups of four facing seats (mostly around a table), these also have a common first digit in the seat number. If the tables are not aligned on each side of the aisle, this can lead to rows of seats with a different first digit on each side of the aisle.
– Tor-Einar Jarnbjo
Sep 4 '17 at 22:00
Some trains also use a completely different numbering scheme. The open coach cars in the CNL trains used an odd last digit for window seats and an even last digit for aisle seats, so seats with a number ending with 6 were not window seats.
– Tor-Einar Jarnbjo
Sep 4 '17 at 22:12
2
And to mention yet another odd deviation: In the ICE3 train sets, the 2nd class open coach section of wagon 26 uses a different numbering scheme than wagons 21-24. With the Germans having a fable for order, I am not sure that this is just a coincidence or if not some kind of meaning is encoded into the numbering scheme.
– Tor-Einar Jarnbjo
Sep 4 '17 at 22:18
2
I've posted this question to DB on Twitter. Their short reply seems to confirm this answer: It relates to the numbering on old compartments.
– simbabque
Sep 7 '17 at 9:09
|
show 1 more comment
up vote
11
down vote
up vote
11
down vote
The numbering scheme is based on historical international standards. Those were originally developed for compartment coaches, which is why always two rows are considered together (one compartment had two rows of opposing seats). The numbers aren’t consecutive because the first digit is the “compartment number”, independent of the place number in each compartment (last digit).
When the system was conceived, compartments usually had six seats. It was defined that seats 5 and 6 are at the window; in order to keep that consistent for eight-seat “compartments”, the additional seats 7 and 8 had to be inserted in the middle.
answered Sep 4 '17 at 21:38
chirlu
93011016
The numbering scheme is based on historical international standards. Those were originally developed for compartment coaches, which is why always two rows are considered together (one compartment had two rows of opposing seats). The numbers aren’t consecutive because the first digit is the “compartment number”, independent of the place number in each compartment (last digit).
When the system was conceived, compartments usually had six seats. It was defined that seats 5 and 6 are at the window; in order to keep that consistent for eight-seat “compartments”, the additional seats 7 and 8 had to be inserted in the middle.
answered Sep 4 '17 at 21:38
chirlu
93011016
answered Sep 4 '17 at 21:38
chirlu
93011016
answered Sep 4 '17 at 21:38
chirlu
93011016
answered Sep 4 '17 at 21:38
chirlu
93011016
93011016
"the additional seats 7 and 8 had to be inserted in the middle" - but then, why diagonally rather than as an additional7 8column? Also, do you happen to have any source/reference for this explanation?
– O. R. Mapper
Sep 4 '17 at 21:55
1
This answer seem to explain only half of the problem raised. Some DB open coach cars don't add the seats 7 and 8 on different sides of the aisle, and use the ordering 5, 6, 7, 8 / 3, 4, 1, 2 instead of 5, 6, 7, 4 / 3, 8, 1, 2 as used in the example in question. If there are groups of four facing seats (mostly around a table), these also have a common first digit in the seat number. If the tables are not aligned on each side of the aisle, this can lead to rows of seats with a different first digit on each side of the aisle.
– Tor-Einar Jarnbjo
Sep 4 '17 at 22:00
Some trains also use a completely different numbering scheme. The open coach cars in the CNL trains used an odd last digit for window seats and an even last digit for aisle seats, so seats with a number ending with 6 were not window seats.
– Tor-Einar Jarnbjo
Sep 4 '17 at 22:12
2
And to mention yet another odd deviation: In the ICE3 train sets, the 2nd class open coach section of wagon 26 uses a different numbering scheme than wagons 21-24. With the Germans having a fable for order, I am not sure that this is just a coincidence or if not some kind of meaning is encoded into the numbering scheme.
– Tor-Einar Jarnbjo
Sep 4 '17 at 22:18
2
I've posted this question to DB on Twitter. Their short reply seems to confirm this answer: It relates to the numbering on old compartments.
– simbabque
Sep 7 '17 at 9:09
|
show 1 more comment
"the additional seats 7 and 8 had to be inserted in the middle" - but then, why diagonally rather than as an additional7 8column? Also, do you happen to have any source/reference for this explanation?
– O. R. Mapper
Sep 4 '17 at 21:55
1
This answer seem to explain only half of the problem raised. Some DB open coach cars don't add the seats 7 and 8 on different sides of the aisle, and use the ordering 5, 6, 7, 8 / 3, 4, 1, 2 instead of 5, 6, 7, 4 / 3, 8, 1, 2 as used in the example in question. If there are groups of four facing seats (mostly around a table), these also have a common first digit in the seat number. If the tables are not aligned on each side of the aisle, this can lead to rows of seats with a different first digit on each side of the aisle.
– Tor-Einar Jarnbjo
Sep 4 '17 at 22:00
Some trains also use a completely different numbering scheme. The open coach cars in the CNL trains used an odd last digit for window seats and an even last digit for aisle seats, so seats with a number ending with 6 were not window seats.
– Tor-Einar Jarnbjo
Sep 4 '17 at 22:12
2
And to mention yet another odd deviation: In the ICE3 train sets, the 2nd class open coach section of wagon 26 uses a different numbering scheme than wagons 21-24. With the Germans having a fable for order, I am not sure that this is just a coincidence or if not some kind of meaning is encoded into the numbering scheme.
– Tor-Einar Jarnbjo
Sep 4 '17 at 22:18
2
I've posted this question to DB on Twitter. Their short reply seems to confirm this answer: It relates to the numbering on old compartments.
– simbabque
Sep 7 '17 at 9:09
"the additional seats 7 and 8 had to be inserted in the middle" - but then, why diagonally rather than as an additional
7 8 column? Also, do you happen to have any source/reference for this explanation?– O. R. Mapper
Sep 4 '17 at 21:55
"the additional seats 7 and 8 had to be inserted in the middle" - but then, why diagonally rather than as an additional
7 8 column? Also, do you happen to have any source/reference for this explanation?– O. R. Mapper
Sep 4 '17 at 21:55
1
1
This answer seem to explain only half of the problem raised. Some DB open coach cars don't add the seats 7 and 8 on different sides of the aisle, and use the ordering 5, 6, 7, 8 / 3, 4, 1, 2 instead of 5, 6, 7, 4 / 3, 8, 1, 2 as used in the example in question. If there are groups of four facing seats (mostly around a table), these also have a common first digit in the seat number. If the tables are not aligned on each side of the aisle, this can lead to rows of seats with a different first digit on each side of the aisle.
– Tor-Einar Jarnbjo
Sep 4 '17 at 22:00
This answer seem to explain only half of the problem raised. Some DB open coach cars don't add the seats 7 and 8 on different sides of the aisle, and use the ordering 5, 6, 7, 8 / 3, 4, 1, 2 instead of 5, 6, 7, 4 / 3, 8, 1, 2 as used in the example in question. If there are groups of four facing seats (mostly around a table), these also have a common first digit in the seat number. If the tables are not aligned on each side of the aisle, this can lead to rows of seats with a different first digit on each side of the aisle.
– Tor-Einar Jarnbjo
Sep 4 '17 at 22:00
Some trains also use a completely different numbering scheme. The open coach cars in the CNL trains used an odd last digit for window seats and an even last digit for aisle seats, so seats with a number ending with 6 were not window seats.
– Tor-Einar Jarnbjo
Sep 4 '17 at 22:12
Some trains also use a completely different numbering scheme. The open coach cars in the CNL trains used an odd last digit for window seats and an even last digit for aisle seats, so seats with a number ending with 6 were not window seats.
– Tor-Einar Jarnbjo
Sep 4 '17 at 22:12
2
2
And to mention yet another odd deviation: In the ICE3 train sets, the 2nd class open coach section of wagon 26 uses a different numbering scheme than wagons 21-24. With the Germans having a fable for order, I am not sure that this is just a coincidence or if not some kind of meaning is encoded into the numbering scheme.
– Tor-Einar Jarnbjo
Sep 4 '17 at 22:18
And to mention yet another odd deviation: In the ICE3 train sets, the 2nd class open coach section of wagon 26 uses a different numbering scheme than wagons 21-24. With the Germans having a fable for order, I am not sure that this is just a coincidence or if not some kind of meaning is encoded into the numbering scheme.
– Tor-Einar Jarnbjo
Sep 4 '17 at 22:18
2
2
I've posted this question to DB on Twitter. Their short reply seems to confirm this answer: It relates to the numbering on old compartments.
– simbabque
Sep 7 '17 at 9:09
I've posted this question to DB on Twitter. Their short reply seems to confirm this answer: It relates to the numbering on old compartments.
– simbabque
Sep 7 '17 at 9:09
|
show 1 more comment
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In general (but also here, there seem to be exceptions), only wagons used in IC or EC trains have seats ending with 7 and 8 on opposite sides of the aisle. In ICE trains seats with numbers ending with 7 and 8 are usually on the same side of the aisle. If you are interested, you can find a relatively up to date document with schematics of all different kinds of passenger wagons used by DB here: kursbuch.bahn.de/hafas-res/img/kbview/ContentPDFs/…
– Tor-Einar Jarnbjo
Sep 4 '17 at 22:41